Ultraviolet radiation LEDs (also known as UV LEDs, or ultraviolet LEDs) are used in connection with many applications such as, for example, ultraviolet curing applications (e.g., ultraviolet curing of inks, bonding agents such as adhesives, coatings, etc.). The UV LEDs, which may be termed UV LED die (e.g., bare UV LED die, packaged UV LED die, etc.), are attached to a substrate to form a ultraviolet LED array (also referred to as a UV LED array).
One challenge in ultraviolet LED array applications is the removal of heat from the array. A heatsink is typically used in connection with the removal of heat. An ultraviolet LED array 100, including a conventional heatsink configuration, is illustrated in FIG. 1.
In the configuration of FIG. 1, a plurality of ultraviolet LED die 112 (shown as a group) are attached to a substrate 110 (e.g., an FR4 substrate, an aluminum nitride substrate). A solder paste layer 108 (e.g., an indium layer) is provided between substrate 110 and a gold plated copper plate 106. A thermal pad 104 is provided between gold plated copper plate 106 and a heatsink 102. Heatsink 102 may be, for example, an aluminum heatsink including fins for air cooling.
Because of the various layers included in ultraviolet LED array 100 of FIG. 1, a relatively high thermal resistance exists—thereby making heat removal from the ultraviolet LED die 112 to heatsink 102 undesirably inefficient.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved heatsinks for ultraviolet LED arrays.